Originally set up in memory of and named after Guild founding member Stan Romer, the Guild’s annual competition became the Fitzwilliam Competition in 2014 in memory of another founding member, Mervyn Fitzwilliam. After over ten year of generous sponsorship by the Fitzwilliam family, the Guild has taken over responsibility for the prizes and the competition has become the DCPG Members’ Competition. The winner holds the DCPG Trophy for a year and, with the two runners up, receives a prize of pottery supplies vouchers.
The theme is revealed in January and the winners are announced in October at our AGM, the first meeting of the new season. Entries, displayed at the Annual exhibition in September, are judged in an online poll of members.
A reminder of the rules:
1. The item must be made after the theme is announced (usually in January).
2. It should be made by one person only and that person must be a paid up Guild member.
3. It should be mostly or entirely ceramic.
Click here to see how the competition works
The theme for the competition in 2026 is Seasons
Fitzwilliam Competition 2025
Theme: Natural World
First prize went to Fenella Mowbray for her volcanic, sponge like sculpture
Second prize went to Tony Bowler for his vertebral sculpture
Julie Leaming won third prize for her striking bird sculpture.
Fitzwilliam Competition 2023
Theme: Pairs
Jill Gleeson receiving the Bison trophy for her winning entry, ‘A pair of elephants’
Fitzwilliam Competition 2021
Theme: Time
Winner: Beverly Benson for ‘Father Time’
First Prize of £80 to Bev Benson for Father Time
Second Prize of £50 to Fiona Cristol, for Tea Time Teapot
Joint Third Prize of £25 each to Jerry Seaborn and Margaret Tatton-Brown, For the Life Time Postbox Topper and the Summer Time Platter.
Fitzwilliam Competition 2020 – images were submitted and voting was via email and Zoom. The theme for 2020’s competition was Planters.
2019 – Entries were exhibited during the annual AGM meeting at Kings Langley Church Hall and the winner announced.
Background
The Fitzwilliam Competition began as a memorial to a founding member, Stan Romer, whose estate funded the three prizes. This was taken over in 2014 by Sylvia Fitzwilliam, widow of another founding member, Mervyn, who was chairman until 2013. Mervyn and Sylvia supported the Guild throughout those years in many ways, including organising workshops, garden parties, outreach events, firings and the quarterly newsletter. They maintained all these activities in the spirit established at the Guild’s foundation and which those running the group today endeavour to follow. In 2026 responsibility for the prizes reverted to the Guild and the competition became the DCPG Members’ Competition.
The winner receives 12 month custodianship of the trophy. In addition, cash prizes are given to First, Second and Third prizewinners.
From its inception in 2000, the competition was judged by an independent potter who was also invited to be the guest speaker and demonstrator for that evening. In 2019, the adjudicator was DCPG president, John Higgins, seen above presenting the original Bison trophy to Andrew Gardner. In 2020 covid and lockdown sent DCPG activities online. The competition was judged in an online poll of all members, a system that continues to the present day. The Bison was retired in 2025 and replaced by the celebratory cup created by Nicole Lyster as her entry to the 2024 competition.
| Year | Theme | Winner |
| 2024 | Trophy | Jill Gleeson |
| 2023 | Pairs | Jill Gleeson |
| 2022 | Natural Forms | Jackie Harrop |
| 2021 | Time | Beverly Benson |
| 2020 | Planters | Beverly Benson |
| 2019 | Birds/bird baths | Andrew Gardner |
| 2018 | Totem poles | Wendy Peters |
| 2017 | Things with lids | Les Parrott |
| 2016 | Teapots | Mark Compton |
| 2015 | By the Seaside | Jenny Birch |
| 2014 | Contrasts | Ruby Sharp |
| 2013 | Ceramics and Mixed Media | Les Parrott |